President Ricardo Martinelli graduated from the University of Arkansas

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. --
An international figure paid a visit to Fayetteville Saturday. Panamanian President Riccardo Martinelli studied at the University of Arkansas before embarking on his political journey.

A small crowd watched as Martinelli talked about his love for his alma mater.

"I am very happy to be here and very proud to be an alumnus of the University of Arkansas," Martinelli said.

The university honored Martinelli by establishing a scholarship in his name.

The scholarship will provide financial assistance for students, and preference will be given to students from the Republic of Panama.

"The opportunity during the four and a half years that i spent in Fayetteville has done so much in my life," Martinelli said.

Martinelli hopes the scholarship will provide opportunities for students from Panama to follow in his footsteps, and learn valuable lessons that could help strengthen his home country.

He also says he plans to encourage more communication between Panama and the United States in the future.

"I will do everything in my power to continue strengthening our relationship not only with the university and the state of Arkansas, but with the U.S.," Martinelli said.
The pressure was on for the Razorback baseball team since the opening pitch of the game was thrown by the president of a country.

President Ricardo Martinelli graduated from the University of Arkansas and was elected president of Panama last summer. Panama is a small country in between Central and South America.

This was President Martinelli's first trip to the U of A since he became the president of Panama.

Je says its time here that helped him get where he is today.

"It feels like a dream. I never thought it would come true. I am so proud and happy and so excited. A part of me remains in Arkansas. I love Arkansas and its people. In my life, everything I have become, Arkansas had a lot to do with," said President Martinelli.

Congressman John Boozman agrees.

He graduated from the University of Arkansas at the same time as President Martinelli. "He's somebody that the state of Arkansas can be so proud of. The values, and he's very open and honest about this, that he learned here being in real America has taken and really thrived," said Congressman Boozman.

"The President spent the morning tackling tough issues like free trade and crime in his country of Panama. But things lightened up in the afternoon when he threw out the first pitch at the Razorback baseball game.

The president got a little practice pitching when he recently threw the first pitch at a Yankee's baseball game.

It only took him a couple tries to get the ball across the plate. President Martinelli was given an Arkansas Traveler certificate from Governor Beebe, making him an official ambassador of goodwill from Arkansas.

Fayetteville Mayor Lioneld Jordan presented the president with keys to the city.